Happy birthday to you: A look at restaurants that give free entrées and desserts on your special day

Valerie A. Russo

Thursday

Jun 25, 2009 at 12:01 AMJun 25, 2009 at 6:10 AM

Here's a sampling of local eateries, from the Red Lion Inn in Cohasset to the Red Robin in Plymouth, that serve a free entrée and/or dessert to the birthday celebrant.

At the Abington Depot Restaurant, you don’t have to be a celebrity to get your name printed on the menu or to receive a free entrée. Anyone can get the V.I.P. treatment once a year – on his or her birthday.

“There are close to 200 customer names in our birthday database and most of these customers come for dinner on their birthday. They look forward to it. We also have walk-ins,” said owner Kathy O’Donovan.

Capt. John Dougan, public information officer for the Quincy Police Department, has celebrated his birthday at the Abington Depot almost every year for the past decade.

“It’s a nice place to go on your birthday and any time you want to sit and relax and have dinner,” said Dougan, a regular customer.

“Everything on the menu is very good and the people who work there are very friendly – they treat you like family.”

Dougan and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan share the same birthday, June 18. This year, the officers and their wives dined together at the Abington Depot in honor of Dougan’s 50th birthday.

The Abington Depot may be the only local eatery that prints the names of customers celebrating a birthday on its daily specials menu. But it’s not the only restaurant offering birthday freebies.

For 20 years, 204 Washington in East Walpole has offered a free entrée on a customer’s birthday. For at least 10 years, Finian’s in Quincy has done the same thing, and the new owners, Elias and Yianni Emmanouillidis, are continuing the tradition.

Below is a sampling of local eateries, from the Red Lion Inn in Cohasset to the Red Robin in Plymouth, that serve a free entrée and/or dessert to the birthday celebrant.

Keep in mind that requirements vary; some restaurants have price and menu restrictions, which can change. We’ve included phone numbers so you can get the latest information before you go.

Brasserie Zapp at the Red Lion Inn, Cohasset. 781-383-1704.

Free: Glass of champagne, any entrée and dessert on the menu.

Requirements: Come on your birthday; bring your ID and at least one paying dining companion who orders an entrée.

Red Robin, Plymouth. 508-746-1228.

Free: Sundae (two scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge) and any entrée or burger on the adult or children’s menu.

Requirements: Join the eClub for free at redrobin.com to register the birthdays of family members. Before each birthday, you will be e-mailed a coupon; no ID is necessary to redeem. Dine on your birthday or within a few weeks of your birthday, as specified on the coupon.

Requirements: Come on your birthday; bring your ID and at least one paying dining companion. If the restaurant is closed on your birthday, come the day before or after.

Abington Depot, Abington. 781-871-3232.

Free: Any lunch or dinner entrée and a “Happy Birthday” serenade at your table. Requirements: Come on your birthday; bring your ID and at least one paying dining companion. You may bring a birthday cake, too.

Main Street Grille, Weymouth. 781-337-0801.

Free: Any lunch or dinner entrée, including specials. Requirements: Come on your birthday and bring your ID No minimum party; dine alone or with friends and family.

Peppercornz On Main, Weymouth. 781-331-9931.

Free: One lunch or dinner entrée priced $17 or less. If you order a more expensive entrée, $17 will be subtracted from the bill.

Requirements: Before your birthday, dine at Peppercornz and join the free V.I.P. Program. Each V.I.P. member receives a birthday card/coupon good for a free entrée during his/her birthday month.

No minimum party.

Not Your Average Joe’s, Norwell (781-616-6160) and Randolph (781-961-7200).

Free: Any lunch or dinner entrée and dessert. Requirements: Join the e-mail club to register your birthday. Then come on your birthday or any day, once per calendar year. No minimum party.

The Charlie Horse, West Bridgewater (508-583-7252) and Kingston (781-585-5550).

Free: Any lunch or dinner entrée on the menu and some specials.

Requirements: Come on your birthday; bring your ID and at least one paying dining companion who orders an entrée.

204 Washington, East Walpole. 508-660-1400.

Free: Any dinner entrée. Requirements: Come on your birthday and bring your ID. Dine alone or with friends and family; one promotion per table.

Alumni Sports Café, Pembroke. 781-829-9999.

Free: Any food item up to $10. Requirements: Join the Royalty Rewards Program for free and you will be mailed a $10 coupon, which can be redeemed at lunch or dinner during the month of your birthday. Entrée prices are less than $10.

Monponsett Inn, Halifax. 781-293-2116.

Free: Any lunch entrée. Requirements: Weekdays only. Come on your birthday; bring your ID, at least one paying dining companion and the birthday coupon published in Community Values.

Free: One lunch or dinner entrée priced $16 or less. If your party orders more expensive entrées, $16 will be subtracted from the bill.

Requirements: On Friday and Saturday, it must be your birthday to get the birthday promotion. On Sunday through Thursday, it must be the month of your birthday. Order from the regular menu or the gluten-free dinner menu (reservations required for gluten-free). Bring your ID and at least one dining companion; one birthday per table.

JUST DESSERTS

Many local restaurants will treat you to dessert on your birthday.

If you order an entrée, the Barker Tavern in Scituate, Atlantica in Cohasset and the Red Parrot in Hull will serve you a free puff pastry filled with ice cream topped with hot fudge and whipped cream. The Great Chow in Abington and the Outback Steakhouse in Quincy will bring you an ice cream sundae. And Papa Razzi in Hanover and the Scarlet Oak Tavern in Hingham will give you any dessert on the menu.

We found just one local eatery – The Squires in Hanover – that will give you an 8-inch single layer birthday cake with white cream frosting and a candle for free, with no entrée purchase required. You must order the cake at least 24 hours before your birthday. 781-826-3360.

Did we miss a good birthday freebie? If so, send us an e-mail at features@ledger.com. We’ll post the additional information on our Web site.

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